Locomotive.



R. E. NOBLE.

LOGOMOTIVE.

APPLIUATION FILED sEPT.ao,191z.

1,072,396, Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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LOGOMOTIVE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. so. 1912.

1,072,396, Patented sep1;.2,1913.

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LOGGMOTIVE.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. ao, 1912.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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RALPH E. NOBLE, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOIL TO MORGAN-GARDNER ELECTRIC COMPANY, 0I" CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LOGOMOTIVE.

incasso.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH E. NOBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ot' Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotives, oi which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to electric locomotives, commonly used for haulage purposes, although certain features thereof may be adapted for locomotives or motor cars intended for other purposes. A particular use for such electric locomotives is the haulage vof cars in and about coal mines or industrial plants. Very frequently the road bed or tracks in such cases are not laid with any considerable degree of care and are therefore rough and uneven. This causes the locomotive to be subjected to more or less pounding or vibration and such vibration is particularly injurious to the motor and driving connections in locomotives as ordinarily constructed. This pounding or vibration of the motor is considered to have a tendency to break down or injure the insulation of the motor windings, as well as to cause otherinjurious actions.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide what may be termed a unit power plant which supports the main frame structure; to mount the motor so that it will be cushioned to as full an extent as possible whereb it will be partially or wholly relieved rom vibrations; to provide a unique power transmission from the motor to the wheels; to improve the veneral construction of such machines; an to provide such other desirable features as will be pointed out and described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred form of my invention, Figure 1 is atop plan view of the locomotive with parts broken away or omitted for convenience in illustration; Eig. 2 is a side view drawn in a similar manner; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken approximately through one set of wheels and shown on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view` also shown on an enlarged scale; Fi 5 is a side view of the motor supporting rame; Fig. 6 is an end view of the motor sup ort ing frame; and, Fig. 7 is a sectional etal of a portion of the drivin gear.

In accordance with this invention, the unit power plant consists of a motor,

driving wheels, and driving connections which are all arranged inV connection with a motor supporting frame and this forni serves to carry the general locomotive frame upon which the auxiliary controlling apparatus is arranged. As shown in the drawings, the wheels 8, 8 are mounted upon an axle 9, and the wheels 10, 10 are, mounted uion an axle l1, in this instance both sets o wheels serving as driving wheels. The axles are supported in journal boxes 12 which boxes lit within slideways 13 in the ends of the motor supporting frame 14. The slideways 13 are provided with grooves 15 to receive tongues or guides 1G on the sides of the boxes. These tongues, as shown in Fig. 3, are approximately the same width as the grooves at their centers only, and are tapered both upwardly and downvvardly. It will be seen that this provides for the vertical movement of the frame with respectto the axles as well as a slight lateral or rocking movement. Springs 17 are ,interposed between the tops of the journal boxes l2 and the upper portion of the slideway 13, which springs support the weight of the motor frame 14-"ai1d the parts connected therewith. The springs 17 are preferably coiled springs and are held in position by lugs 18 and 19 which lit within the ends of the same. The ends of the frame 14 are substantially in the forni of a letter H, as shown in Fig. 6 and other guideways 20 are provided between the upper branches thereof. This frame is substantially in the forni of a yoke, as seen from the side, as clearly indicated in Fig, 5, themotor being mounted in the central space between the upwardly extending end projections. The motor body 21 is provided adjacent to the bottom with lugs or brackets 22 which rest upon springs 23 which in turn rest u 4on the lower flat or horizontal portion 2e o the frame 14. Suitable sockets or keepers are provided for holding the springs 23 in proper position. The motor body 21 is provided at the ends with outwardly extending uides or brackets 25 which fit within t e slideways 2() in such manner as to permit a limited vcrtical movement of the motor but prevent its sidewise movement. The motor body is preferably divided horizontally substantially in halves and the guides or brackets 25 are formed integrally with or connected to the lower half. In order to hold the made in any desired form and preferably lit within grooves 29 in the upwardly extending ends of the motor frame 14. These cross pieces, as indicated in Figs. l and 4 are recessed or cut away under the plate 27 in order to allow the motor body to be withdrawn from the frame when these plates are removed.

The main frame 30 may be secured to t'he lcross pieces 28in any suitable manner so that it will be securely held thereby. This frame may alsobe made in various ways, but in this instance it consists of side plates 31 which are secured to the cross pieces 28, and suitable cross braces and plates at the ends to complete the frame structure and to support the necessary auxiliary parts. The frame 31 is usually provided with a drivers seat and carries suitable connections for coupling to the cars and also carries the controller, sand boxes, and the like, in order to make up the additional controlling and operating parts of the locomotive. It also carries the trolley pole or other means for supplying the motor` with current, such means, and connections being omitted as they may be of ordinary standard construction.

The motor driving shaft 32 is provided with pinions 33cand 34. The pinion 33 meshes with a gear 35 on a stub shaft 3G which is rigidly secured to one side of the motor body 21, as shown in detail in Fig. 7. rlhe gear 35 drives a sprocket wheel 37 and for convenience in construction the gear 35 is securely fastened to the hub of the sprocket wheel 37, the latter being mounted on the stub shaft 3G. The. sprocket wheel 37 is connected by means of a chain 38 with a sprocket wheel 39 which is securely mounted on the axle 9, this driving arrangement serving to transmit the power from the motor to one set of wheels. The gear 34 meshes with a gear 40 mounted on a stub shaft 41 on the opposite side of the motor body 2l. yllhis gear drives a sprocket wheel 42 which is connected by means of a chain 43 With a sprocket wheel 44 on the axle 11. This driving` arrangement serves to transmit the power from the motor to the second pair of wheels. The stub shafts, with the driving sprockets thereon, are so arranged with reference to the vaxles that there is comparatively little or no tendency toward binding of the chains when the motor moves up or down in its guideways.

imaaae It will be seen that by means of this novel form of construction, the frame which supports the motor is entirely `carried on springs, that is there is no fast or rigid connection between the saine and the axles, and

.the motor itself is entirely carried on springs This flexible or to be injured by any injury to the main frame. That' is, the main frame may be bent, jammed, or buckled to a considerable extent without in any way affecting the driving mechanism. It will be seen that, on account of the novel form of driving connections, there are no journals or driving parts projecting beyond the sides of the main frame and, therefore, vthis frame serves as a substantial protection to the driving mechanism and wheels.

It will be observed that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of this invention. For instance, while only one motor is shown in the drawings, it may be desirable at times to use two or more motors which may be mounted substantially in the manner shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a locomotive, the combination of wheels and axles, an auxiliary motor supporting frame yieldingly mounted on said wheels and axles, a motor mounted on said auxiliary frame, springs, interposed between the auxiliary frame and the motor, upon which the motor entirely rests, a main frame carried by said auxiliary frame, and means for transmitting power from the motor to the wheels and axles.

2. ln amine locomotive, the combination of .wheels and axles, journal boxes on said axles, a frame having guideways engaging with said journal boxes, springs interposed between said frame and said boxes, a motor mounted in said frame, springs between the iframe and the motor upon which the motor is entirely carried, means for transmitting power from the motor to the wheels and axles, and a main frame carried by said first named frame.

3. In a locomotive, the combination of a pair of wheels and axles, journal'boxes on said axles, a motor Supporting frame having vertical guideways for said boxes, springs interposed between said boxes and the frame for supporting the frame, a motor having projections engaging with guideways in said frame, springs between the frame and the motor for supporting the motor, springs between the motor and the frame for holding the motor in close engagement with its supporting springs, means for driving the wheels and axles from the motor, and a main frame carried by said motor supporting frame and inclosing said motor supporting frame, wheels, and axles and providing means for carrying the locomotive controlling and connecting devices. l

4. ln a locomotive, the combination of wheels and axles, journal boxes on said axles, a motor supporting frame having a 'depressed central portion and having upwardly extending end portions provided with guideways fitting over Said journal boxes, springs interposed between said boxes and the frame for supportlng the f ame, a

motor having projections fitting in guide ways in the upwardly extending end portions of the frame, springs between said Inotor and the depressed portion of the frame for supporting the motor, springs between said projections and the upwardly extending portions of the frame tending to press the motor downwardly, means for transmitinn` power from the motor to the wheels and axles, cross pieces engaging with the upwardly extending portions of the motor supporting frame, and a main frame carried by said cross pieces.

5. In a locomotive, the combination of a motor supporting frame yieldingly mounted on wheels and axles, a motor yieldingly mounted on said motor supporting frame, and a mainframe carried by said motor supporting frame, a pinion on the motor shaft, a gear with which said pinion engages, a stub shaft on the motor body for said gear, a sprocket Wheel driven by said gear, a sprocket wheel on the axle, and a chain connecting said sprocket wheels.

6. ln an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a motor supporting frame yieldingly mounted on wheels and axles, a motor yieldingly mounted in said frame, a main frame carried by said motor supporting frame, pinions on either end of the motor shaft, gears with which said pinions engage, stub shafts on the motor body for supporting said gears, sprockets connected with said gears and driven thereby, a sprocket on each of the axles, and chains between the first named sprockets and the axle sprockets for driving the axles.

7. In a locomotive, the combination of wheels and axles, journal boxes on said axles having vertical guides, a motor supporting frame having a depressed portion extending between the wheels and having upwardly extendingend portions provided with guideways for the journal guides, springs between said journal boxes and the upper portion oi the frame, a motor, guides on said motor engaging with vertical guideways in the upwardly extending end portions of the traine, springs between said motor and the depressed portion of the frame for supporting the motor, cross pieces engaging with the upwardly extending end portions of the frame, springs between said cross pieces and .the motor guides, a main frame carried by said cross pieces and extending around said wheels and axles, pinions on the motor shaft, gears mounted on the motor body en gaging with said` pinions, sprockets connected with said gears, sprocket wheels on.

Vthe axles, and chains between said sprockets and said sprocket wheels for turning the wheels and axles.

RALPH E. NOBLE.

Vitnesses IRENE Fonnns'r, EDWARD H. D1LLsoN. 

